Month: September 2022

St. Louis Cardinals’ first baseman Paul Goldschmidt made an amazing catch against the Pittsburgh Pirates to secure a 2-1 victory.

Tampa Bay is back in the postseason as a wild card team.

With a win over the Astros, the Rays have officially clinched a playoff spot for the fourth straight season.

Tampa Bay is coming off two straight AL East Division titles, but the Yankees claimed that honor this year. Instead, the Rays will have to settle for a wild-card berth, their second in four years.

As usual, Tampa Bay (86–71) has had success with a rotating selection of players as a number of players have stepped up this year. Most notably, pitcher Shane McClanahan built off his breakout 2021 with an even better ’22 season, accumulating a 2.51 ERA in 161.1 innings pitched. Drew Rasmussen and Jeffrey Springs also put up sub-3.00 ERAs in the rotation, while Corey Kluber has made a stable 30 starts for the first time since 2018.

On offense, the Rays has had to overcome several injuries to get to this point. Wander Franco, Brandon Lowe, Kevin Kiermaier and Mike Zunino have all missed significant time with injuries. However, Yandy Diaz has stepped up with a team-leading .817 OPS while Randy Arozarena has added 20 home runs and 32 stolen bases, his second straight 20-20 season.

• Get your seats to Tampa Bay Rays games with SI Tickets

The Rays still have something to play for with five games remaining, though, as wild card seeding remains up for grabs. If Tampa Bay finishes with the fourth seed, they will host either the Blue Jays or Mariners, while it will travel to Toronto or Seattle as the five seed. If the Rays drop to the sixth seed, they will play the AL Central-winning Guardians in Cleveland.

After Friday’s game, the Rays sit two games behind the Blue Jays for that fourth seed, and even with Seattle (pending Friday’s result) for the fifth seed.

More MLB Coverage:

• Daily Cover: How Austin Riley Became the Cornerstone of the Braves’ Core
• Correa Drops an Iconic Quote About Possibility of Staying With Twins
• Roger Maris Jr. Will Consider Aaron Judge MLB’s HR Record Holder
• Inside the Rays: Whit Merrifield’s Homer Ends Classic Pitcher’s Duel in Jays’ 3-1 Win over Tampa Bay

For more Tampa Bay Rays coverage, go to Inside the Rays. 

Boise State Broncos’ QB Taylen Green rushed down the sideline for a 39-yard scramble and touchdown to extend their lead over the San Diego State Aztecs 28-13.

Kawhi Leonard and John Wall are set to return to the floor on Monday for the first time in over a year.

View the original article to see embedded media.

After missing over a year of NBA action, Kawhi Leonard and John Wall are set to return to the floor on Monday night in the Clippers’ preseason game against the Blazers, coach Tyronn Lue announced Friday.

Lue shared the news of the anticipated returns ahead of L.A.’s preseason opener against Israeli club Maccabi Ra’anana at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. Leonard and Wall were listed among the inactive players for the game but are expected to play next week; Paul George, Nicolas Batum, Norman Powell and Reggie Jackson are also expected to play after sitting out Friday night.

Friday’s news signals a near return to full strength for a Clippers team that has sorely missed Leonard’s presence. The two-time NBA champion missed the entire 2021–22 regular season after undergoing surgery to repair a partially torn ACL he sustained during the 2021 playoffs.

Leonard notched a crucial step on his long road to recovery last week ahead of the start of training camp earlier this week. Clippers president Lawrence Frank told reporters the five-time All-Star felt great and had been cleared to participate in five-on-five scrimmages.

With Leonard sidelined, L.A. struggled to find success last season, ultimately missing the playoffs after finishing the year 42–40. The team also played 31 games without George as the seven-time All-Star dealt with an elbow injury.

Barring any setbacks, Leonard figures to step right back into his role as the Batman to George’s Robin as the dynamic duo looks to fulfill their quest to take the Clippers to the promised land.

Meanwhile, Wall, a five-time All-Star during his nine seasons with the Wizards, will take the floor for his first action as a Clipper in his first game since April 2021. The then-Rockets guard averaged 20.9 points, 6.9 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 40 starts during the ’21–’22 season. Wall joined L.A. in July after getting bought out of his deal with Houston; the 32-year-old sat all of last season after reaching a mutual decision with the team to not play.

While Wall has all the tools to become an ideal fit beside Leonard and George, it remains to be seen how the former No. 1 pick will hold up after years of health issues.

Wall played 41 games in 2017–18 due to nagging knee injuries, and 32 games the following season due to a season-ending left heel injury. In February ’19, Wall ruptured his left Achilles tendon after falling in his home, leading to an extended absence that kept him off the court for the entire ’19–20 season.

Wall’s time in Washington ended in December 2020 when he was dealt to Houston for Russell Westbrook along with a 2023 draft pick.

More NBA Coverage:

• Report: Udoka Used Crude Language Toward Employee Before Relationship
• Lillard Reveals Part of Reason Why He’s Stayed With Trail Blazers
• Blake Griffin Signs One-Year Deal With Celtics, per Report
• All Clippers: Clippers President Addresses Load Management Plan For 2022-23 Season

For more Los Angeles Clippers coverage, go to All Clippers.

Boise State Broncos’ running back Ashton Jeanty busts a 30-yard rush for a Broncos’ touchdown and extends the lead over the San Diego State Aztecs to 21-13.

Boise State Broncos’ RB George Holani’s 12-yard rushing TD gives the Broncos a 14-13 lead against the San Diego State Aztecs in the third quarter.

Inside of Turns 6, 7 and 8, there was a fleet of 10 yachts on top of fake water made out of a vinyl material during the inaugural 2022 race.

The Miami Grand Prix made its grand debut on Formula One’s calendar in May 2022, and while it was filled with glitz, glam and plenty of star power, there was one aspect of the track that became a major talking point: the fake marina. 

The track was built in Miami Gardens and around Hard Rock Stadium, a land-locked neighborhood. But, inside of Turns 6, 7 and 8, there was a fleet of 10 yachts on top of fake water, a vinyl material with a ripple design that made the boats look as if they were floating.

Tyler Epp, president of the Miami Grand Prix, said the iconic fake marina, Hard Rock Beach Club and the fan zone will all return in 2023. Additionally, 3,000 grandstand seats will reportedly be added to the venue. 

View the original article to see embedded media.

“The whole team is working hard to ensure we deliver a fantastic year two experience for our fans, and it’s very exciting to be able to release the tickets to those on the pre-registered list next week,” Epp said, via ESPN. “2023 will see the return of the iconic MIA Marina and Hard Rock Beach Club which were some of the most popular parts of the MIA campus.

“We have listened to our fans from last year and plan to increase shade, water stations, and will be adding additional viewing platforms around the circuit. In year two, we’ll continue to showcase the best of Miami – the culture, entertainment, food, music, and community.”

Starting next season, the United States will have three races as Las Vegas joins the slate alongside Miami and the existing U.S. Grand Prix in Austin. 

More Formula One Coverage: 

• Pierre Gasly Reveals Timeline for Clarity on His F1 Future
• Alex Albon Preparing for F1 Singapore GP After Respiratory Failure
• Nicholas Latifi to Leave Williams Racing at End of F1 Season
• Red Bull F1 Team Principal Horner Regrets Passing on Oscar Piastri

Albert Pujols officially passed the 700-mark on Friday with a blast against the Pittsburgh Pirates.